5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Considering Including a Job on Your Resume

Should I include this job on my resume? As with many job search-related issues, the answer is: it depends.

Was it planned as a short-term position, or did it simply end up that way?

If the job was a contract, the usual answer is: yes, include the job on your résumé. Make sure to describe it as such: “Hired for temporary”.

If the position wasn’t meant to be short-term, find a way to mask the time frame. For example, list the experience as Bumblebee Incorporated (2019) vs. Bumblebee Incorporated (March 2019 – August 2019).

Can you group other short-term positions together? 

If you had several short-term roles, try combining them into one description. This only works, however, if the titles and work responsibilities are very similar.

For example: if you had a sales role with company ABC for a few months, but left for an opportunity with company XYZ—but only worked there for a year—consider listing the positions jointly as “Sales Representative, ABC/XYZ” with the inclusive dates. 

Did you work for a name-brand company?

You may want to include the position on the résumé to increase the search engine optimization (SEO) of the résumé for applicant tracking systems—or simply to impress a hiring manager.

Will this position help you in a career change?

Even if your time in the position wasn’t long, if having that experience on there helps you bridge the transition from one career to the next, consider including it.

Is this role your only work experience relevant to your job target? Or did you learn any new skills in this role?

You may want to include the position to showcase your skills. If you are a recent graduate but were “first in and first out” at your first job, consider including it if you were there for at least 90 days. Having some experience—even short-term—is better than having none. 

If the role doesn’t fit the narrative of your career consider omitting it. If including the job on the résumé will raise more questions than it will answer, leave it off. 

Remember, your résumé is not an obituary that lists every job you’ve ever held. Instead, it’s a marketing document that should support the job target you’re seeking.

One important thing to note: If you are asked to complete a job application that requires you to list all positions you’ve held, include each and every role—no matter how short.

Checklist of Whether or Not to Include a Position on Your Resume